A citizens’ group has thrown its weight behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s oil and gas reforms, describing them as courageous and necessary steps toward ensuring Nigeria’s long-term economic sustainability despite their initial hardships.
Mallam Nasir AbdulQuadri, Co-Convener of the 1st Citizens Engagement Conference (North-West Edition), stated this on Monday in Kaduna during the event themed “The Positive Impacts of Oil and Gas Reforms by President Ahmed Bola Tinubu Administration.”
He said the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 and the removal of fuel subsidy had provided a “legal, fiscal, and institutional rebirth” for the petroleum sector.
AbdulQuadri admitted that the reforms had caused “temporary discomfort” but said they demonstrated “uncommon courage” and were “steering the country toward long-term economic sustainability.”
He noted that deregulation had opened opportunities for private investment, refinery rehabilitation, and modular refining, while new regulatory agencies — the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) — had strengthened oversight and transparency.
He further highlighted the growing role of gas as a transition fuel and the benefits being extended to host communities through the Host Community Development Trusts (HCDTs).
AbdulQuadri also called for national unity and citizen participation in supporting the reforms, urging Nigerians to act as “co-authors of progress” rather than “detached observers.”
“For reforms to succeed, citizens must see themselves as co-authors of progress, not as detached observers,” he said, warning against external influences that could exploit internal divisions.
He stressed that his call for unity was not an endorsement of “blind loyalty” but a reminder that responsible citizenship meant demanding transparency and accountability “from a place of national consciousness, not anger without direction.”
AbdulQuadri concluded that the reforms were not only about fuel or finance but about faith in Nigeria’s capacity to reform and evolve, urging citizens to “guard our sovereignty with wisdom, drive reforms with unity, and sustain hope with discipline.”
Speaking early, Professor Usman Muhammed of Kaduna State University has revealed, raising questions about the long-term sustainability of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda beyond 2027.
The academic explained that while Nigeria is richly endowed with an estimated 37 billion barrels of crude oil and 209 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, inefficiencies in governance, policy inconsistency, and infrastructural decay have limited the sector’s contribution to national development. “Despite being Africa’s largest oil producer, Nigeria continues to struggle with declining productivity and fiscal leakages,” he noted.
The study highlights that between 2019 and 2024, Nigeria’s crude oil production averaged 1.4 to 1.67 million barrels per day, below its OPEC quota of 1.8 million barrels, while inflation soared above 22 percent and unemployment remained around 33 percent.
Professor Muhammed stressed that the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 represents a landmark reform. By establishing the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the law aimed to enhance transparency, attract investment, and improve fiscal discipline.
“Implementation of the PIA and the transition of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) into a commercial entity have begun to yield results, but production efficiency and local content development remain moderate due to enforcement challenges,” he said.
Comparative analysis with countries like Norway, Saudi Arabia, and the United States shows that Nigeria lags behind in regulatory efficiency, scoring 63 out of 100, compared to Norway’s 92 and the US’s 90. Experts at the conference noted that weak institutional coordination, outdated infrastructure, and limited technological adoption continue to hinder full sectoral optimization.
The conference heard that oil theft, pipeline sabotage, and bureaucratic bottlenecks remain major challenges. Professor Muhammed emphasized that addressing these issues is critical to ensuring that oil revenues translate into sustainable development, job creation, and fiscal stability.
He further stressed the importance of policy stability, fiscal transparency, and technological modernization in the upstream sector. “Economic prosperity beyond 2027 will not be determined solely by oil output but by how effectively Nigeria institutionalizes regulatory excellence and diversifies energy sources,” he said.
Local content and economic diversification were also highlighted as key drivers of sustainable growth. Expanding the role of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and establishing gas-based industrial hubs can reduce unemployment and strengthen local participation in the oil and gas ecosystem.
Professor Muhammed concluded that while Nigeria’s oil and gas sector remains central to economic growth, maximizing its potential requires a holistic approach combining regulatory reform, technological innovation, and inclusive governance.
0 Comments